Hash Brown Breakfast Skillet

This is a delicious and tasty weekend breakfast treat! The potatoes got nice and crunchy on the bottom, but were still tender and soft in the middle. If you like them crispier all around I'd suggest extending the initial bake time to about 20-30 minutes until they brown on top too, and then add the meat and veggie filling. I used a yellow pepper, but think pretty much any color would work great for this recipe.

My husband thought this could use a little more cheddar cheese, and my son and I enjoyed ours served with a fried egg and some ketchup accompanying. I thought it was really tasty, and loved that this was almost completely cooked in one skillet in the oven (plus I just happen to love about any excuse to cook in my cast iron skillet)!

Hash Brown Breakfast Skillet adapted from Never Enough Thyme

Ingredients
1 1/2 TBS butter, divided
4 cups shredded potatoes for hash browns
2 egg whites
Salt
Pepper
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
1 small bell pepper, finely diced
8 oz sausage, ground
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.
2. Using 1/2 TBS butter, prepare a large cast-iron skillet by smearing butter generously all around the base and up the sides.
3. In a large microwave safe bowl, melt 1 TBS of butter. Remove from microwave and add the hash browns and egg whites. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
4. Using a fork, mix gently but thoroughly until evenly combined.
5. Use a spatula to spoon the mixture into the prepared skillet, pressing firmly into the bottom and all the way up the sides. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.
6. While the hash browns are cooking, prepare the filling.
7. In a large non-stick skillet add the onion, bell pepper and sausage. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion has softened and sausage is cooked through. If there is excess grease, drain it off.
8. Remove the skillet with the hash browns from the oven and spread the onion, pepper, sausage mixture into the pan over the hash browns. Top evenly with the cheddar cheese.
9. Bake for 8-9 more minutes or until cheese is completely melted and lightly browned.
10. Cut into large wedges and serve.